Father's Day
by friendoftheearth
Summary: First posted Father's Day June 20th 2010


_This isn't new, it's taken from my story Face to Face, and was first posted Father's Day June 20th 2010_

_Dedicated to all fathers and Paddy's everywhere... and to those of us who are very much missing their dad today_

_Father's Day_

_The nurse had flashed Aaron a warm smile as he'd walked into the room. "Won't be a minute," She assured him as she wrote something on Paddy's chart._

_As he'd sat down in the chair beside the bed, the nurse looked over her spectacles at him, and gesturing in Paddy's direction with her pen asked, "Did you get your dad something nice for Father's Day?"_

_Paddy had started to cough and splutter then, the tea he'd been drinking having gone down the wrong way for some reason._

_As Paddy grabbed a tissue and started dabbing at his mouth, Aaron held a small neatly wrapped package up for the nurse to see. Suitably impressed she'd smiled at him again._

_Paddy had been wide eyed with surprise. So what had shocked him most? Aaron wondered, the fact he was happy to let people believe he was his son, or the fact he'd bought him a present?_

_He'd told the Sister that first night that he was Paddy's next of kin, and she and everyone else had assumed he was his son. He'd done nothing to put them right._

_When the nurse finally left the room Paddy looked at him and said, "Everything alright? House still standing? No all night party's I should know about?"_

_"No, not this week anyway!" Aaron teased back, "Here." He dropped the present into Paddy's lap; suddenly a little embarrassed he avoided eye contact with the older man._

_"Thanks."_

_He watched Paddy unwrap his gift and heard the delight in his voice when he said "I've wanted this DVD for ages!"_

_"Yeah I know." Paddy was looking curiously at him now, he was obviously thrown by the gesture, well he would be, he'd never done anything like it before._

_"There was no need, you didn't have to..."_

_This was just the opportunity he needed and he grabbed it with both hands, "You didn't have to take me in..."_

_He'd had a wakeup call, one he couldn't ignore, he knew he could so easily be standing over Paddy's grave right now. The thought terrified him! He knew he had to start showing some appreciation for all Paddy had done and was still doing for him. Paddy needed to know just how important he was in his life._

_"You didn't have to stand by me all the times I messed up. You didn't have to defend me; you didn't have to look out for me..."_

_"Aaron..."_

_He knew Paddy was feeling very uncomfortable right now, so was he but he hadn't finished yet. "You didn't have to make me a part of your life, you didn't have to love me...but you did." Pointing to the DVD Aaron said, "It's nothing much, but it wouldn't matter what it was anyway because I just wanted to give you something today. Something just to let you know what you are in my life."_

_A lump had formed in Paddy's throat and he swallowed it with some difficulty. It was hard to believe the emotional young man sitting beside him now had once been the sullen, argumentative toe rag who had stormed into his life just a few short years ago._

_He didn't look all that much different except now he had the very humble beginnings of a beard on his face, or bum fluff has Pearl liked to call it!_

_Aaron had been so hostile back then, downright nasty. God forgive him but he'd so wanted to smack some manners and respect into him. He nearly had on occasion but instead he'd told himself Aaron was just a troubled and damaged kid, and the one thing he didn't need was the heavy handed approach. So he'd tried calm reasoning and when that failed some vocal ear bashing. It had been a war of wills at times. Aaron had pushed him and pushed him, trying him, testing him. He'd been the red rag to a bull so many times... but they'd weathered those storms._

_Then Chas deserted them both and they were united in their hurt and disappointment. He'd been given a sense of responsibility for Aaron and although he'd tried to knock it on the head when his mother dumped him, he hadn't been able too, he was already seeing Aaron as the son he'd never had._

_The last few months had been so damn hard on them all. He'd almost lost Aaron; he knew it wouldn't have hurt anymore if he had been his own son._

_The mistrust had long since gone from his eyes, the once perpetual sneer was now rarely seen and when Aaron talked to him now there was a genuine warmth and honesty in his voice._

_He was both pleased and proud to have played some part in helping him become the young man he now was. Far from perfect of course and with some growing up and mellowing still to do, but nethertheless someone he would be proud to call son._

_END_

_BTW For all those who have asked, I haven't forgotten Spectre, will update as soon as I can.  
Mererid._


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